Early 90's Elite w/out Rosewood

[clucking]

I found a Pioneer Elite VSX-52 at Goodwill, which is a 5.1 receiver from 1993. They are recently producing a receiver with the exact same model number, which is NOT the one I have - the one I have is the same model as is this ebay listing (I have no affiliation w/the auction). I picked it up not only because it's a Pioneer Elite receiver, but also because it has pre-outs and my preamp is on the fritz so until I get around to taking it in for service I figured for $15 a Pioneer Elite receiver would fill-in nicely.

There is VERY little info about this receiver on the internet. My question is this: This receiver, unlike every other Elite from that era I've seen, has little plastic ears instead of rosewood side panels. What's the deal? I thought all Elite gear from the early '90s had the wood? Am I an idiot for thinking I can get a couple slabs of rosewood, polish 'em up and slap them onto the sides to get the full effect?

I opened it up this afternoon - big Nichicon caps, power supply wrapped in copper, all the little screws are copper.

EDIT: New more important question in response to the comment below: Can I bypass the pro logic processing and get a regular 2-channel stereo (or mono) signal to my power amp from this, or is the pro-logic (and associated "simulated stereo) baked in? I can't find a control to turn it off or choose 2-channel option. I have lots of mono LPs and I don't want this thing trying to stereofy them on me.

 

[stereofanboy]

What you have is a Dolby ProLogic receiver. If I recall correctly, it synthesizes surround from two channels of input. 5.1 is a different thing where the source is 5.1 instead of stereo.

I've long considered the nicer ProLogic receivers as a good economical alternative to older stereo receivers. I've had one just like yours and liked it pretty well.

The plastic on the sides would make adding wood panels difficult.

 

[clucking]

Thanks for the info re: Pro-logic vs 5.1, I saw "5.1" in the ebay listing but should have taken that with a grain of salt.
So, new question: Can this receiver be used as a normal 2-channel stereo receiver, or is the Pro-Logic built-in and non-bypassable? I can't figure out a way to turn the pro-logic or simulated surround features off. And what if I want to listen to my mono albums in mono, will it try to simulate stereo? This might make my whole pre-out plan a non-starter.

 

[painttoad]

Thanks for the info re: Pro-logic vs 5.1, I saw "5.1" in the ebay listing but should have taken that with a grain of salt.
So, new question: Can this receiver be used as a normal 2-channel stereo receiver, or is the Pro-Logic built-in and non-bypassable? I can't figure out a way to turn the pro-logic or simulated surround features off. And what if I want to listen to my mono albums in mono, will it try to simulate stereo? This might make my whole pre-out plan a non-starter.

the vsx-52/vsx-501/vsx-511s are all very similar.

here is the 511s owners manual

Pioneer VSX-511S Operating Instruction (Page 31 of 48) | ManualsLib

www.manualslib.com

i buzzed thru it and the only mention of turning off surround is on page 31 and it's via remote only

 

[clucking]

the vsx-52/vsx-501/vsx-511s are all very similar.

i buzzed thru it and the only mention of turning off surround is on page 31 and it's via remote only

Well, I don't have the remote, I wonder if some combination of pushing buttons on the unit's face will turn it off. Thanks for the link to the Manual!

 

[painttoad]

Well, I don't have the remote, I wonder if some combination of pushing buttons on the unit's face will turn it off. Thanks for the link to the Manual!

maybe doing a factory reset will revert it back to 2ch mode

 

[GChief]

Thanks for the info re: Pro-logic vs 5.1, I saw "5.1" in the ebay listing but should have taken that with a grain of salt.
So, new question: Can this receiver be used as a normal 2-channel stereo receiver, or is the Pro-Logic built-in and non-bypassable? I can't figure out a way to turn the pro-logic or simulated surround features off. And what if I want to listen to my mono albums in mono, will it try to simulate stereo? This might make my whole pre-out plan a non-starter.

I had a VSX-59, a 94 that I bought in 95 as a left over. I bought it as my first HT AVR. It won out over others auditioning at the dealer due to its 2ch goodness.

You should be able to get to 2ch stereo from the pro logic menu and the "knob" for the display.

Gave it to a kid at work a couple years ago for his vinyls listening.

 

[clucking]

Well, I went ahead and hooked it up, I guess the dolby pro-logic circuitry *does* toggle on and off, my confusion lay in the "Center Mode" indicator on the screen staying lit even when I toggled the pro-logic functions off - turns out the "Center Mode" light is just an indicator that lists several modes when pro logic is enabled - anyway, it plays mono in glorious mono (listening to my mom's mono first press of Joan Baez that she got when she was a nerdy mod in Chicago in the early 60s, guffaw if you will I love listening to her sing) so I figure that's the test, and the sound coming out of the speakers is beautiful so I'm pretty pleased all around. Now back to my idea of making some side-panels for it.....